Child Suicide News: A Comprehensive Case Study from Turkish Media

This study aims to analyze news on child suicides and suicide attempts in Turkey's high-circulation national newspapers over a ten-year period. This qualitative study systematically content-analyzed news on suicidal behavior in three high-circulation national newspapers in Turkey from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2022. Data were collected by searching for the keywords "child" and "suicide" and analyzed. The study found that 60.2% of suicidal children were male, and 39.8% were female, with a mean age of 15.09±2.16 years. The majority were high school (56.2%) and middle school (38.1%) students. Suicidal behavior peaked in 2022, with the highest incidences occurring in winter (29.9%) and spring (26.2%). Depression (30%) was the most frequently reported reason for suicidal behavior, followed by family problems (19.8%) and the Blue Whale Challenge (16.5%). Hanging (47.5%) was the most common method of suicide, followed by jumping from heights (23.8%). The increasing trend of suicidal behavior among children, particularly adolescents, highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies. The findings suggest that mental health support, family interventions, and societal awareness are crucial in addressing this issue. The influence of digital challenges and the need for gender-specific approaches also warrant further attention.